A woman called police a few minutes before midnight to report that she had first noticed the boy in the van, crying, about 7 p.m. Officers found the 11-year-old, who told them his father’s name and that he was inside El Uno Bar on University Avenue near 34th Street, Brown said.

Officers found Hernandez inside, where he told them he’d left the boy alone for about two hours while he drank four beers, Brown said. She said the man was very intoxicated and said he was waiting for an older son to come and pick them up.

Brown said officers were not able to reach other family by phone, so they took the boy into protective custody at the county’s Polinsky Children’s Center.